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Free School Meals


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DO I QUALIFY TO CLAIM FREE SCHOOL MEALS?

Families who have children up to the age of 19 years in full-time education at Warwickshire maintained schools and nurseries may be entitled to claim free school meals, providing they receive a qualifying benefit. NB Unfortunately students who attend Colleges of Further Education are unable to receive free school meals.

The current criteria for claiming free school meals are as follows:-
  • Family receives Income Support or Income-Based Job Seekers Allowance. NB Contribution-Based Job Seeker's Allowance does not qualify for free school meals.
  • Family receives the Guarantee element of State Pension Credit.
  • Family receives Child Tax Credit and has an annual taxable income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue, not in excess of £16,190 (new upper threshold from 6th April 2010). NB Families who are also awarded Working Tax Credit do not qualify to claim free school meals regardless of income.
  • Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
  • Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related). NB Contribution-Based E&SA does not qualify for free school meals.

TEMPORARY QUALIFICATION FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS.

From 1st May 2009 where a parent has been entitled to Working Tax Credit during the four-week period immediately after their employment ceases, or after they start to work less than 16 hours per week, they became eligible to claim free school meals over that period.

We are unable to directly confirm this 4-week period of eligibility so we must ask parents to apply by completing a hard-copy application form and sending it to us with a copy of their Tax Credit Decision Notice, which will be issued immediately by HMRC to a claimant who has notified them that they have stopped working. Applications will not be accepted without this document and free school meals authorisation will not be granted prior to the date of application, or extended beyond the end date shown on the Tax Credit Decision Notice. In order to qualify for free school meals after that date the claimant will need to be in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits listed in the previous section, and evidence of this provided.

How can I apply? (Other than for temporary qualification)


We use an on-line Free School Meals eligibility checking system (ECS) provided by the Department for Education to confirm your entitlement unless you are applying under the temporary qualification criterion. NB The on-line checking system only confirms or denies your eligibility to claim free school meals: it does not give us any other information.
We recommend that if you are applying by post, rather than by telephone or on-line, you send one of the documents listed below with your application: it may allow us to process your application even if we are unable to directly confirm your eligibility via the on-line checking system.

When we have successfully processed your application we will post you a confirmation letter (please let us know if you do not receive this) and contact the school(s) directly to authorise free school meals.

If I apply but you are unable to directly confirm my eligibility what should I do?

If you feel that you meet the qualifying criteria we suggest you send us a completed hard copy application form with one of the following documents:
  • A copy of a recent Income Support or Income-Based Job Seeker's Allowance letter (all pages)
  • A copy of a recent M1000 Pension Credit Award (all pages)
  • A copy of your family's most recent 2010/2011 Tax Credit Award Notice (all pages)
  • A copy of recent NASS letter or IS 96 document (if claiming under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999).
  • A copy of a recent Job Centre letter (all pages) stating that Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related) is in payment
  • A copy of a Tax Credit Decision Notice (only to be sent if applying for Temporary authorisation)

Our postal address is:

Warwickshire County Council
Free School Meals Office
Children, Young People & Families
Saltisford Office Park
Ansell Way
WARWICK. CV34 4UL

How often do I need to apply for Free School Meals?

You need to apply for free school meals annually. We send pre-printed renewal application forms to all those families currently claiming free school meals at the end of June and ask them to re-apply by the end of July. Families who have not re-applied by the start of the new school year must provide their child(ren) with dinner money or a packed lunch until such time as they have re-applied, their ongoing eligibility has been confirmed, and the claim has been processed.

NB We are unable to backdate claims for free school meals to cover unpaid dinner money or to refund dinner money paid prior to the date of a successful application.

What should I do if my benefit changes or ends while my child is receiving free school meals?

Please contact us immediately if your benefit changes or ends, as it may mean that you no longer qualify to claim free school meals. We do routine eligibility checks (using ECS) on current claims throughout the year and if it is found that you did not notify us that you were no longer entitled to claim free school meals, then you will be invoiced for all school meals taken free by your child(ren) from the date your qualifying benefit ended.

If you have further questions or wish to discuss your eligibility, please call:

Customer Service Centre - 01926 742060

(Customer Service Centre office hours are Mon - Fri 8.00am - 8.00pm, Sat 9.00am - 4.00pm).

FREE COMPUTER AND/OR INTERNET ACCESS FOR FREE SCHOOL MEALS CLAIMANTS

We have recently had a number of enquiries from parents of children who receive free school meals asking about their eligibility to apply for a government funded Home Access Grant. This grant allows eligible families with children in years 3 - 9 attending a maintained school to be provided with a free laptop and home broadband connection. The programme is aimed at those that need it most and targets families that do not have current access to a computer or the internet at home.

NB This grant is not available from, nor is it administered by the local authority.

To make further enquiries and/or request an application form please contact:
Home Access Grant Helpline: 0333 200 1004 or go to www.homeaccess.org.uk/Information-for-parents





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Last updated : 31/08/2010

Review : 30/09/2010

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Warwickshire County Council, Shire Hall, Warwick CV34 4SA Telephone: 01926 410410

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